FACTORY DESTROYED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27569, 11 December 1950, Page 6

FACTORY DESTROYED

Detectives Investigate Fire PA AUCKLAND, Dec. 10. A small - shirt factory in the Mount Eden railway yards, occupied by the Mercury Clothing Company, Ltd., wai totally destroyed by fire shortly before 11 o’clock on Saturday night. The value of /the damage to materials and the plant is estimated to be between £12,000 and £15,000. Detectives from the Auckland Detective Office are investigating the outbreak. Arson is suspected. More/than 200 bolts of fine imported shirting material and 160 dozen packets of completed poplin and cotton shirts were destroyed in the blaze. The interior of the one-storey corrugated iron building was completely gutted, and rows of electric sewing machines and cutting machines were ruined. The fire swept through the building within a matter of minutes. When the signalman at the Mount Eden Railway Station went off duty, at 10.30 p.m. there were no signs of any flames. At 10.50 p.m. a resident in Mount Eden road, Mr J. G. Doughty,. whose house overlooks the factory, saw flames coming from the roof of the building. He - immediately rang the fire brigade, but by the time he completed his call the factory -was ablaze from end to end. Engines from the Mount Eden and Headquarters Fire - Stations answered the call. Leads were run down into the yard from Mount Eden road, and after hacking their way in. the firemen attacked the blaze from all- sides. ,The fire was under control within 10 minutes of the arrival of the brigade.